(CR) Rurouni Kenshin (new TV series)

[Amarantine]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

It’s kind of ironic that Furuhashi was also the director of HxH 1999, and when the 2011 came out and was more faithful to the manga there was an instantaneous flood of “not as good as the original” commentary (that never totally dried up all the way to the end).

Wouldn't really call that ironic, it simply makes sense considering Furuhashi is clearly a director that likes to add his own touches to the material he's given, touches that will please some viewers and displease others. I do think he added some very good touches to both HxH 1999 and RK 1996, but in the case of the latter more so in the Kyoto arc than Tokyo (yes, there is anime original stuff even in Kyoto, though it was so carefully and judiciously implemented that even many manga readers don't seem to realize it's there).

I personally feel he meddled a little too much with Tokyo, and the result, while still enjoyable, was a step down from the manga version of the arc IMO. Though of course, it also didn't help that some scenes had to be edited or cut altogether due to the violence, something this remake thankfully shouldn't have to deal with since it airs at 1 AM in Japan.

[Mad Pierrot]

Furuhashi also directed GetBackers right? The art direction there reminded me of Kenshin.

Still, from what I've seen about interviews is that Yamamoto came up with a new idea about Sanosuke's past. If the opening is going to be judged, I'd say maybe the first cour is the Tokyo arc maybe. I mean the opening has Kenshin fighting Aoshi and then jumps to his flashback with Saito without any hint of Raijuta (who is kinda famous of being the worst villain in the series).

[Last Sinner]

More good than not. I'll stick around. I'm guessing it's not going to veer into the spoofy nature of the 90s version. But argh, those themes are painful. And I'm guessing the bits at the end of Kenshin's sentences are not being translated properly?

[AP24]

According to preview Ep2 will be Ch2 and Ch3 combined together with some alterations

[Mad Pierrot]

Seems the preview has the characters breaking the fourth wall with Kenshin trying to explain what is a "Rurouni"

[alex_drian]

That was pretty good. Be it that I don't remember much of first series aside that most after Kyoto arc sucked but it seemed a quite good first episode.

Kaoru looks beautiful in this new style.

[Frontier]

Well, it seems like no one is ready to go back to Kaoru's dojo again after everything that happened, but at least she's got a 28(?) year old housekeeper going for her and he's happy to chip in !

Yahiko! At first he comes off like your typical foul-mouthed, rowdy, pickpocket, but his words about being the son of a Tokyo Samurai aren't just for show as he seems to have the spirit to match it, even if he's just ultimately a kid stuck in a bad situation with the Yakuza .

In hindsight Kenshin wandering the streets with his sword, sakabato that it is, was a really bad idea in an era where swords are pretty much outlawed. Like he was basically just asking to get arrested and cause a fuss whether he intended to or not .

I guess corrupt police who abuse their authority and use it to bully people to make themselves feel better are a staple of any era...particularly here where, having access to swords, they feel like they're entitled to threatening civilians and turning their swords on anyone who gets in their way just because they can. They have no right to their swords, and if anything is going to get Kenshin to draw his own, it's teaching these fools their place .

I love how Kenshin just off-screens most of these thugs and easily dispatches them while they declare their sword styles like that's actually supposed to matter .

Kenshin reunites with a former compatriot of the revolution! But unlike Yamagata, Kenshin has no interest in a government job or a position of power for his efforts in creating the Meiji era and rebuilding Japan, he sees how that kind of position can corrupt others and just make them into bullies or people desperate to hold onto their power despite the intentions of the restoration. Is Kenshin an anachronism of a prior era who has no place in the new one? What role does a single man with a sword still have outside the Bakumatsu era? But even so, Kenshin still has a reason to carry his sword if it means protecting those in front of him, like Kaoru .

Similarly Yahiko is in a position where he has the bearing and integrity of a samurai in an era where they basically don't exist any more, so what's a kid to do? Other than finally stay true to himself, but that just gets him into trouble with the Yakuza .

[AP24]

Turns out Ch3 story isn’t finished yet. So I guess Ep3 will cover the rest of Ch3 and Ch4. Then Ep4 will be when Sano appears.

[magnumcyclonex]

Kenshin made quick work of the sword bearing cops and is found by his revolutionary compatriot, who had been searching for 10 years (so about the same amount of time Leif was looking for Thorfinn in Vinland Saga).

Yahiko makes his debut and it boggles my mind that Rurouni Kenshin is as clumsy and lackadaisical as he's been since the original 90s anime when it comes to harmless encounters with others.

Not much else to say here except Yahiko is likely to be saved by Kenshin or make his way to Kaoru's fledgling dojo next episode.

[grecefar]

I guess is a plus that I barely remember the old anime so I won't compare both, I'm enjoying this.

[Master_Yoma]

Well a bunch of sword wielding police abusing there authority and just wanting to draw blood

[Amarantine]

Enjoyed episode 2 as well. I think they did a good job blending the police/Yamagata story with the beginning of Yahiko's story (the two were totally separate in the manga). Looking forward to seeing the rest of Yahiko's story next episode. His seiyuu is definitely a good match for the character too.

[Blaat]

Bit weird that Kenshin is called an imperialist in the sub, revolutionary, restorationist or royalist would have been better I think?

I'm really enjoying the adaptation, even or perhaps especially the slow pacing.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Blaat

Bit weird that Kenshin is called an imperialist in the sub, revolutionary, restorationist or royalist would have been better I think?

I'm really enjoying the adaptation, even or perhaps especially the slow pacing.

No, it fits perfectly. His own personal beliefs aside, he did work for the Imperialists.

[Alchemist007]

Originally Posted by Alchemist007

It's been a looong time since I've seen the original anime but it seems like Kaoru might be less grouchy this time around?

I think Kenshin himself looks fine, but she her...brighter eyes, brighter skin, darker hair. Quite a changeup.

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I see a bit more purple in the OP/ED. It's weird, but I guess it's just because the surroundings are brighter?

Besides that, I'm liking this new Kaoru.

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[mike21]

Isn't there a scene in the manga where Kaoru looks delighted that there are a lot of potential students outside the dojo, only for Kenshin to drive them away by declaring he's not affiliated with the dojo and has no intention of teaching anyone? Or does that not happen yet?

[Last Sinner]

That 2nd episode felt effectively meaningless. The flashbacks are also really being overused big time. If that entire episode was just to show the guy wants to do things his own way, how was that not apparent from the get go...

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by Last Sinner

That 2nd episode felt effectively meaningless. The flashbacks are also really being overused big time. If that entire episode was just to show the guy wants to do things his own way, how was that not apparent from the get go...

I think this episode was to develop Kenshi's perspective of the current Meiji government, how it handles himself, and his own role in forging it and how he's acting about it now.

[ditn]

Am i the only one who kinda misses some kind of tension or its that pink glasses from the past affecting me(i dont know how you say this in english)

[GDB]

Originally Posted by ditn

Am i the only one who kinda misses some kind of tension or its that pink glasses from the past affecting me(i dont know how you say this in english)

The english term would be "Rose-tinted glasses" or "Rose-colored glasses".

And I don't really remember much tension yet at this point in the OG anime series, so only two episodes in is hard to really think it's lacking anything yet.